This invention relates in general to anaglyphs, and more specifically involves an anaglyph and method wherein the anaglyph of an object is equivalent to ray mapping, in contrasting colors, the object onto a surface from viewpoints. In a full-color anaglyph, those colors in the object similar to the contrasting anaglyph colors are first muted.
An anaglyph is a stereoscopic picture composed of superimposed images; the viewed image of a three dimensional object as seen with the right eye of one color, e.g. red, is superimposed on the viewed image of the three dimensional object as seen with the left eye of a contrasting color, e.g. green. The superimposed viewed images produce a three dimensional effect of the object when viewed through correspondingly colored spectacle lenses.
Conventionally, an anaglyph is produced by superimposing two viewed images made from laterally displaced centers of perspective. Generally, a stereocamera or two, laterally-spaced cameras are used to produce the stereoscopic views. Alternately, particularly for a still life, the stereoscopic view can be produced by successive views from laterally displaced positions of a single camera. The two views are viewed orthogonally to the image plane.
In a conventional anaglyph, the perspective plane recedes into the surface of the anaglyph, and viewer""s eyes are typically converging into the page, i.e. the convergence point is often past the plane of the surface supporting the anaglyph. This makes the surface more noticeable and detracts from the anaglyph.
This invention is an anaglyph and method of producing an anaglyph in which the perspective plane lies in the plane of the surface. The anaglyph on a surface of an object comprises: a left image of a first color; the left image being the equivalent of ray mapping the object onto the surface from a left viewpoint; and a right image of a contrasting color; the right image being the equivalent of ray mapping the object to the surface from a right viewpoint.
A method of making an anaglyph on a page of an object comprises the steps of: producing left and right stereoscopic images of the object by producing a left view of the object on a left image plane orthogonal to a viewing axis; and producing a right view of the object on a right image plane orthogonal to a viewing axis. Then, producing a left anaglyph image adding a first color on a planar page as a projection or equivalent to a projection of the left view on the page; the page being laterally parallel and vertically angled to the left image plane; and producing a right anaglyph image adding a contrasting color on the page as a projection or equivalent to a projection of the right view on the page.
Retinal rivalry is reduced by muting (desaturating) the original anaglyph colors in the image of the object before adding the colors for the anaglyph.
Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.